2: No Exit
by OracleBones
Summary: Very short. A version of the episode "No Exit" from season two, with Ace in it. This is just how I think it would have gone with her around. Rated T for language(?) Don't remember if there's cussing in this one. There is a bit of angst, but it's not laid on very thick.
1. Chapter 1

How did things go so wrong?

We were fine. Albeit we'd already lied to Ellen, and somehow Jo had convinced the boys to let her help. Even though we were sure she was going to get herself in trouble...

What am I saying, she did get herself in trouble...

He had her...and we didn't know where...

We piled into the kitchen, Dean stalking across the floor, already well on his way to rampaging.

"This is all my fault, I never should've let her stay." he muttered. Sam sat down at the table, I could tell by the look on his face that he was already formulating plans. He had the layout of the sewer systems splayed on the table top, and was scouring them.

"She's a strong girl. Hell, she managed to talk me into going against _your_ word on something. She'll get through this." I murmured and Dean glanced at me, a haunted look in his eyes. I jumped when his phone rang and knew already who it was. Even before the look of utter devastation came over Dean's face.

"Ellen." He said, his voice reflecting the dread on his face. He scrambled for a lie, coming up with the feminine things excuse and I could tell Ellen didn't buy it for one minute. Dean closed his eyes, defeated.

"Look, we'll get her back." I heard Ellen on the other end, demanding "what", "This spirit we're hunting, it took her, but we're gonna find it. We're gonna get her back I promise."

"That is not the first time I've heard that from a Winchester." I frowned, "What?" I mouthed at the same time Dean exclaimed it into the phone.

"I'm takin' the next flight out, I'll be there in a few hours." there was a snap as she slammed the phone back on the cradle, and I stared at Dean. He put his phone away and closed his eyes a moment.

"I think I found something." Sam said, and we both crowded to his side. "Alright, so you remember he built death chambers in his walls right?"

"Yeah, but we were in the walls all night, there's nothin' in there." Dean snapped and I put my hand on his arm in a calming gesture.

"Right," Sam said, "But there's one place we didn't check. The one in his basement."

Dean frowned, "This building doesn't have a basement." he said, and my eyes widened, as I noticed the page of blueprints Sam had been studying.

"There?" I asked incredulously, pointing to a sewer junction that looked walled in. Sam nodded, "Exactly."

"Let's go." Dean said, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door, leaving me and Sam skittering behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

We got her back.

It wasn't easy, but we managed to get her, and the girl that the ghost had kidnapped, back in one piece. And trap the ghost afterward.

Sam and I waited with Jo while Dean went to get the finishing touch. I smirked at her and reached out, wiping a smudge of mud off her cheek. She wrinkled her nose and chuckled.

"So," Sam prompted, and we glanced at him, "This job as glamorous as you thought it'd be?" I gave a snort of laughter and Jo looked at me.

"Well, aside from all the pee your pants terror, yeah. Sure." she replied, slowly looking back at him. He chuckled, grinning for a moment.

"But that Theresa girl is gonna live a life because of us." She went on, and Sam sobered, the amusement fading from his face, "It's worth it isn't it?"

Sam and I nodded, glancing at each other.

"Yeah..." Sam said thoughtfully, and I looked back at the sewer opening, "Yeah it is."

"Hey, What if someone finds that sewer down there? Or a storm washes the salt away?" Jo asked suddenly, and I glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Both very fine points." I said, and looked at Sam.

"Which is why we're waiting here." Sam added, and Jo nodded.

"For what?" she asked bemusedly, and I frowned. Somewhere nearby, a large vehicle was backing up, and the warning beep was getting closer.

"No way." I murmured, and Sam spun around. Jo glanced past him and then turned to me with a disbelieving face.

"For that." Sam said, and I laughed, jogging over to the driver's side to help guide Dean in. We backed it up and Sam gave the call to stop, going to the chute and unstrapping it, while Dean jumped down from the cab. I walked with him to join the others, and he grinned at me, ruffling my hair. As he helped Sam lower the chute, I went to stand next to Jo.

"You ripped off a cement truck?!" she asked, smirking, and I smiled.

"I'll give it back." Dean replied with a grin, and Jo laughed, watching him head over to the controls. He pulled a short lever and cement poured down the chute and into the hole.

"Yeah, he ain't as dumb as he acts." I said, nudging Jo playfully. She chuckled and Sam scoffed. Dean wandered back over to us, smirking smugly.

"Well that outta keep him in there 'til Hell freezes over." he said jokingly, and I made a face at him. Jo just nodded, smiling at him for a moment, and then watching the cement slide down the chute. I glanced between them a few times.

They definitely had a thing for each other. Ellen was gonna kill him.

* * *

The drive home was long, and awkward, and silent. And by the time we got to the roadhouse, the tension in the air was so thick it was stuck in the back of my throat like molasses.

As soon as the engine shut off Ellen was out the door. And Jo wasn't far after. Sam and I hesitated a moment, but Dean barreled right after them. I looked at Sam, he raised his eyebrows in invitation to follow, and I shook my head.

"I'm not touchin' that with a ten foot pole." I said quietly, and he sighed, turning to watch Ellen dig her bag from the trunk and snag Jo by the elbow, "I'll wait here." He nodded and got out of the car, following after them with Dean.

They weren't inside long before they came trudging back out. I frowned and got out, meeting them halfway.

"What happened?" I asked, and Sam sighed. Dean just shrugged and continued to the impala, leaning his elbows on the roof.

"Ellen wanted to talk to Jo...alone." Sam said, and I nodded knowingly. I was very familiar with mother daughter arguments. They rarely ended without one or the other saying something regrettable. I huffed out a short sigh and walked back to the impala with Sam. We just had to give this time to blow over.


	3. Chapter 3

When Jo came bursting out of the door almost twenty minutes later, I knew something had gone wrong. Dean looked over, and when she saw him she grimaced and changed direction, angling away from us. I frowned, and Dean pushed off the car, going after her.

"That bad huh?" he asked, and she looked away from him.

"Not right now." she spat.

"What happened?" he tried again, his voice softening. I stood from where I was leaning against the hood.

"Don't." I warned him, but he ignored me.

"Hey, talk to me." he went on, reaching out to grab hold of her arm.

"Get off me!" she snapped, rounding on him with a glare. He stared at her a moment, puzzled, and I clenched my fists. This wasn't good.

"Sorry...I'll see ya'round." he said quietly, and turned, coming back to the car. Jo stood there, staring at the ground.

"Dean." she said, and he stopped to look back at her, "Turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt," she began, crossing the short distance he had put between them, "Funny, he usually worked alone. This guy did too, but...guess my father figured he could...trust him."

I closed my eyes. No wonder she'd acted that way, Ellen had told her the truth about her father. Finally.

I'd had a feeling, when we'd met them, that there was bad blood between Ellen and John.

"Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed." Jo said, and Dean gestured to himself and Sam.

"What does this have to do with us?" he asked, and Jo lashed back at him, verbally.

"It was your father, Dean." she spat.

"What?" he breathed, and Sam stood up next to me. I took a deep breath and let my fists open, reaching out to grab Sam's hand.

"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Cause he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that. That's why." Jo was nearly in tears now, and I couldn't blame her.

"Jo..." Dean began, his voice apologetic.

"Just get out of here...please, just leave." she said, and turned away. I grit my teeth and dropped Sam's hand. Dean looked down, horrified, and Sam slumped back to the hood, staring at his hands.

I blew a short hiss of air from between my teeth and ran after her, grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning her around.

"What-?" she yelped, and I cut her off.

"You can't seriously tell me that you're blaming them for something John did. The man's _dead_ , Jo. His mistakes died with him. Now, I'm sorry that you father died, okay? I understand what it's like to lose someone you loved. But you can't _drop_ something like that on them! You're _alive_ because of them. That should be good enough. Ellen can be mad all she likes, but if you ask me, they did good. Hell, they did better than their _father!_ They _are_ better than their father!" I yelled, not even pausing for breath until I'd gotten it all out. She stared at me, stunned speechless, and I glared back at her.

"I like you Jo. I really do. But you need to get your head right. Or this world is gonna eat you alive." I added, forcing myself to calm down. A rough hand gripped my arm, and I looked behind me to realize that Dean had followed me. He pulled me toward the car, his eyes dark, and I let him guide me away from her.

"Sam, get in. We're leaving." he barked, and Sam nodded, moving to comply. Dean wrenched the back door open and let me go so I could climb inside. He shut it once I was out of the way, and I glanced at Jo one last time.

She was watching us, tears streaming down her face, and I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Dean." I murmured when he'd gotten in, and he stilled, staring at the steering wheel.

"It's alright Ace..." he said quietly, and keyed the engine. The impala roared to life, seeming to sympathize with him, and we pulled away from the roadhouse. I sank to the seat, my face warm against the cool leather. I hadn't really been told much about their father. But from what Bobby had told me. He was a strict, hard headed, stubborn, militaristic man. And I had a feeling I wouldn't have liked him much...but still, he was their father. And as much as he sounded like a total ass, the boys loved him.

Especially Dean...


	4. Afterwords

If you're confused over the "their father" comment, because you read Seattle first. I'll explain.  
Chronologically, Seattle is set after this one, between "No Exit" and "Usual suspects".  
I don't really like writing fics that quote the show verbatim like this one does.  
Mostly because it makes me feel like I'm plagiarizing. But also because I like the idea of Ace having original adventures.  
This one is an exception. I felt that Ace wasn't the type to let something like the blatant disrespect of John Winchester, to his sons faces, fly.

Anywho, reviews are always welcome! I would love some feedback on this one, I'm worried about it.  
Was it too vague? Do I need to expand on anything? Let me know what you think!

Tootles!


End file.
